The present invention generally relates to a musical score data display apparatus, a musical score data display method, and a recording medium, which are suitable for effectively display various kinds of musical score data in a limited display area.
Conventional musical score data processing apparatuses usually have a display device. Some of these apparatuses display musical scores on a screen of the display device. Because the display area of the screen is limited and therefore the musical scores of one piece of music cannot be displayed all in one screen, hence a music progressive direction and a part score are scrolled in the direction of the parts. However, such a scroll-type display method may make it difficult for the user to surely view portions where clefs and time signatures for example are shown.
Some musical score data processing apparatuses are of the window type by which a musical score can be viewed in two or more formats at a time, such as staff, and piano role scores for example. However, the apparatuses of this type do not allow users to specify a display format as desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a musical score data display apparatus capable of effectively displaying various kinds of musical score information within a limited display area (or window).
In carrying out the invention and according to a first aspect thereof, there is provided an apparatus for displaying musical score data in a display area. The apparatus comprises a specifying device that is provided for specifying a display range of original musical score data, an extracting device that is provided for extracting musical score data included in the display range from the original musical score data and for extracting musical information precluded from the display range but influencing the extracted musical score data from the original musical score data, a determining device that is provided for determining whether a supplementary display is necessary or not in accordance with the specified display range, a setting device that is provided for dividing the display area into a main display area and an auxiliary display area and setting the main display area and the auxiliary display area when the supplementary display is necessary, and a display device that is provided for displaying the extracted musical score data in the main display area and concurrently displaying the extracted musical information in the auxiliary display area.
Preferably, the setting device sets more than one auxiliary display area when the extracted musical information necessitates more than one auxiliary display area. The setting device may set the auxiliary display area at one of a left lower portion, a left upper portion and a right upper portion in the display area. The setting device may vertically scan the display range to effect a vertical division of the display area and may horizontally scan the display range to effect a horizontal division of the display area such that the vertical division and the horizontal division are conducted independently of one another to provide the auxiliary display area in accordance with the necessary supplementary display. Preferably, the extracting device extracts the musical information selected from clefs, key signatures, time signatures, repeat signs, tempo notations, cadence marks, octava, pedal marks, dynamic marks, sequence marks, expression marks, bar numbers, title, phrase marks, part names, lyrics, and page number.
In carrying out the invention and according to a second aspect thereof, there is provided an apparatus for displaying musical score data in a display area. The apparatus comprises a setting device that is provided for setting a division of the display area into a plurality of display sub areas, a specifying device that is provided for specifying a display format for each of the plurality of the display sub areas in accordance with the setting of the division of the display area, a generating device that is provided for processing original musical score data to generate therefrom musical score data compliant with the display format specified for each of the plurality of the display sub areas, and a display device that is provided for displaying the generated musical score data onto each of the plurality of the display sub areas in the specified display format.
Preferably, the display device can scroll the musical score data displayed in each of the plurality of the display sub areas in synchronization with each other. The setting device may set either of a vertical division of the display area into a plurality of vertical display sub areas and a horizontal division of the display area into a plurality of horizontal display sub areas. The specifying device may specify the display format with respect to at least one of a part arrangement, a score style, a data type, a transposition interval, a staff and font size, and a display color.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a display range for musical score data is specified; musical score data belonging to the display range and information valid for the display range are extracted; whether auxiliary display is necessary or not is determined in accordance with the specification of the display range; a display area is divided into a main display area and an auxiliary display area and these display areas are set when the auxiliary display is found necessary; the extracted musical score data and the valid information are displayed in the main display area and the auxiliary display area, respectively. One or more auxiliary display area is set when the auxiliary display is found necessary. Thus, in the present invention, according to contents of the musical score to be displayed, it is determined whether the display area is divided into main and auxiliary display areas. If the auxiliary display area is arranged, necessary information is displayed in the auxiliary display area. Consequently, the necessary information can be always displayed in the display area. If the division of the display area is unnecessary, the auxiliary display area is not arranged, and the display area (window) is made effectively available for displaying the desired portion of the musical score.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, division of a display area (window) for displaying original musical score data into a plurality of display areas is specified; in response to the specification made by the division specification, a display format for each of the plurality of the display areas is specified; from the original musical score data, musical score data compliant with the display format specified for each of the plurality of the display areas are generated; and the generated musical score data are displayed onto each of the plurality of the display areas. The musical score data displayed in each of the plurality of the display areas are scrolled in synchronization with each other in the direction of time. Thus, the display area is divided into plural display areas and a display format is specifiable as desired for each display area, so that the user can view musical scores in any desired formats.